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@inproceedings{DBLP:conf/vldb/Harris77,
author = {Larry R. Harris},
title = {User-Oriented Data Base Query with the ROBOT Natural Language
Query System},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Very Large
Data Bases, October 6-8, 1977, Tokyo, Japan},
publisher = {IEEE Computer Society},
year = {1977},
pages = {303-312},
ee = {db/conf/vldb/Harris77.html},
crossref = {DBLP:conf/vldb/77},
bibsource = {DBLP, http://dblp.uni-trier.de}
}
Now that large data bases of valuable information are in existence, we must face the problem of putting this information in the hands of the end user. This is not a task to be taken lightly, since it is a very difficult problem due to the mismatch between the user's conceptualization of the data and its actual structure. By analyzing this problem in some detail we argue that this mismatch must be consciously resolved in a single process, and that the use of natural language instead of an artificial query language is the only means by which this can be done.
The technical feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by the ROBOT natural language query processor. Actual dialogs and end user experiences are used to show the resulting increase in end user orientation. The impact of natural language processing on the various DBMS architectures is also discussed.
Copyright © 1977 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). Abstract used with permission.
